Refrigeration systems, such as air condition systems, are usually provided with a refrigerant path comprising one or more compressors, a condenser, an expansion device, e.g. in the form of an expansion valve, and an evaporator, e.g. in the form of a heat exchanger. Thus, the heat exchanger normally receives refrigerant from the expansion device in a mixed liquid/gaseous state. In the case that the heat exchanger is of the kind having at least two parallel flow paths it is further necessary to provide a distributor in the refrigerant path adjacent to the heat exchanger in order to distribute refrigerant between the parallel flow paths of the heat exchanger. Such a distributor may be in the form of a header mounted on or forming an integral part of the heat exchanger.
U.S. Pat. No. 7,143,605 discloses a flat-tube evaporator including an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold separated a distance from the inlet manifold. A distributor tube is positioned within the inlet manifold and fluidly connected to the common distributor. A plurality of flat tubes are positioned to fluidly connect the inlet manifold and the outlet manifold. The distributor tube can include a plurality of orifices, each of the plurality of orifices positioned to direct the refrigerant into the inlet manifold in a first direction.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,586 discloses a device for distributing a two-phase refrigerating medium mass flow in a plate evaporator. The evaporator has a distribution channel at the inlet side which may receive a refrigerating medium mass flow coming from an expansion valve and several mutually spaced exchanger channels which branch off from the distribution channel in a substantially perpendicular direction. In order to ensure a uniform distribution of the refrigerant medium mass flow among the exchanger channels, a porous body is arranged in the distribution channel between the refrigerating medium inlet and the branch-off points of the exchanger channels. The porous body may be arranged in an outer throttle insert which extends over at least part of the length of the distribution channel and in whose wall are located additional throttle openings that lead to the exchanger channels.
The distributors disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,143,605 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,806,586 are both connected to an expansion device in such a manner that they receive refrigerant in a two-phase state.